The United States has closed its embassies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait following a series of Iranian drone and missile attacks on American facilities across the Middle East, amid an intensifying conflict triggered by US-Israeli operations against Tehran.
The State Department announced the closures on Tuesday, citing severe security threats as the military campaign enters its fourth day.
A drone strike late Monday targeted the US embassy in Riyadh, inflicting minor damage, while an earlier attack sparked a fire at the embassy compound in Kuwait City.
Iran has ramped up retaliatory assaults on US sites in countries including Iraq, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates, in response to the airstrikes that began last week.
President Donald Trump has indicated the operation could extend for weeks.
Airspace closures in several Gulf states have stranded thousands of travelers, exacerbating regional disruptions.
The US has urged its citizens in 14 Middle Eastern nations, including Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and the Palestinian territories, to depart immediately.
Assistant Secretary of State Mora Namdar posted on X: “The @SecRubio @StateDept urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks. Americans who need State Department assistance arranging to depart via commercial means, CALL US 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad) and +1-888-407-4747 (from the U.S. and Canada).”
